1769. May. Upon this occafion it may be observed, that human nature is endued with powers which are only accidentally exerted to the utmost; and Sunday 28, that all men are capable of what no man attains, except he is stimulated to the effort by fome uncommon circumftances or fituation. These Indians effected what to us appeared to be fupernatural, merely by the application of fuch powers as they poffeffed in common with us, and all other men who have no particular infirmity or defect. The truth of the observation is alfo manifeft from more familiar inftances. The rope-dancer and balance-mafter owe their art, not to any peculiar liberality of Nature, but to an accidental improvement of her common gifts; and though equal diligence and application would not always produce equal excellence in these, any more than in other arts; yet there is no doubt but that a certain degree of proficiency in them might be univerfally attained. Another proof of the existence of abilities in mankind, that are almost universally dormant, is furnished by the attainments of blind men. It cannot be supposed that the lofs of one fenfe, like the amputation of a branch from a tree, gives new viEvery man's hear gour to those that remain. 7 1769. May. cause the fame intelligence is not required of them he that can fee may do from choice what Sunday 28. the blind do by neceffity, and by the fame diligent attention to the other fenfes, may receive the fame notices from them; let it therefore be remembered as an encouragement to perfevering diligence, and a principle of general use to mankind, that he who does all he can, will ever effect much more than is generally thought to be poffible. June. Thurfd. I. Among other Indians that had vifited us, there were some from a neighbouring island which they called EIMEO or IMAO, the fame to which Captain Wallis had given the name of the Duke of York's Island, and they gave us an account of no less than two and twenty islands that lay in the neighbourhood of Otaheite. As the day of observation now approached, I determined, in confequence of fome hints which had been given me by Lord Morton, to send out two parties to obferve the tranfit from other fituations; hoping, that if we should fail at Otaheite, they might have better fuccefs. We were, therefore, now bufily employed in preparing our inftruments, and instructing fuch Gentlemen in the use of them as I intended to fend out. On Thursday the 1ft of June, the Saturday following being the day of the Tranfit, I dispatched Mr. Gore in the long boat to Imao, with Mr. Monkhouse 5 Monkhouse and Mr. Sporing, a Gentleman belonging to Mr. Banks, Mr. Green having furnished them with proper inftruments. Mr. Banks himself thought fit to go upon this expedition, and several natives, particularly Tubourai Tamaide and Tomio, were alfo of the party. Very early on the Friday morning, I fent Mr. Hicks, with Mr. Clerk and Mr. Peterfgill, the Mafter's Mates, and Mr. Saunders, one of the Midshipmen, in the pinnace to the eastward, with orders to fix on some convenient fpot, at a distance from our principal obfervatory, where they alfo might employ the inftruments with which they had been furnished for the fame purpose. 1769. June. Thurfd. i. The long-boat not having been got ready till Thursday in the afternoon, though all poffible expedition was used to fit her out; the people on board, after having rowed most part of the night, brought her to a grappling juft under the land of Imao. Soon after day-break, they faw Friday 2. an Indian canoe, which they hailed, and the people on board fhewed them an inlet through the reef into which they pulled, and foon fixed upon a coral rock, which rofe out of the water about one hundred and fifty yards from the fhore, as a proper fituation for their obfervatory: it was about eighty yards long and twenty broad, and in the middle of it was a bed of white fand, large enough for the tents to stand VOL. II. D d upon. 402 1769. June. Friday 2. Saturd. 3. upon. Mr. Gore and his affiftants immediately began to fet them up, and make other neceffary preparations for the important business of the next day. While this was doing, Mr. Banks, with the Indians of Otaheite, and the people whom they had met in the canoe, went afhore upon the main island, to buy provifions; of which he procured a fufficient fupply before night. When he returned to the rock, he found the obfervatory in order, and the telescopes all fixed and tried. The evening was very fine, yet their folicitude did not permit them to take. much reft in the night: one or other of them was up every half hour, who fatisfied the impatience of the reft by reporting the changes of the fky; now encouraging their hope by telling them that it was clear, and now alarming their fears by an account that it was hazey. At day-break they got up, and had the fatiffaction to fee the fun rife, without a cloud. Mr. Banks then, wishing the observers, Mr. Gore and Mr. Monkhouse, fuccefs, repaired again to the island, that he might examine its produce, and get a fresh supply of provisions: he began by trading with the natives, for which purpose he took his ftation under a tree; and to keep them from preffing upon him in a crowd, he drew a circle round him, which he fuffered none of them to enter. About About eight o'clock, he saw two canoes com 1769. June. ing towards the place, and was given to under-L By this time, Tubourai Tamaide and Tomio joined them, from the obfervatory. Tomio faid, that she was related to Tarrao, and brought him |